


airplane love

by kaiohtic



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Summer Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 21:07:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6345181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaiohtic/pseuds/kaiohtic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>high above the clouds, that's where he might have fallen for a boy with eyes brighter than the sun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	airplane love

**Author's Note:**

> written for josie and obviously inspired by f(x)'s airplane. happy birthday to you, sweetie. i thought about writing kinky sekai smut for you but we both know jenn's so much better at doing that so i'll leave that task for her xoxo

Going on vacation should be a fun thing and it really is, but why does Sehun feel worried right now? Is it because his apartment is left empty and unattended that he feels uneasy? Surely, Kyungsoo is going to water the plants twice a week, as well as check if things are okay, but _still_. What if Sehun forgot to close all the windows? And did he turn off all electronic devices before he left? And did he really pack everything he needs? Not that he can’t go get shampoo, toothbrushes and sun lotion once he has arrived in Hanoi, but there are crucial things such as wallet, documents, his phone and his ipod that he can’t get once he’s on the plane. He searches around in his pockets and his backpack, feeling relieved when passport, wallet and smartphone are all there. It's only his music player that he can't locate and after two more minutes of searching he remembers that he has been charging it over night for the four hour long flight, but in his rush early in the morning he has forgotten to take it with him. _Well fuck_ , he thinks. There go his plans for relaxation. Because for one, he doesn’t have any music on his phone, and two, he doesn't quite like the music channels on the plane (whoever chooses the music obviously has a bad taste). And thirdly, for a short flight as this one is, there is no entertainment system built in, no touchscreen with movies and games. Sehun is doomed.  
  
For a moment, he considers calling Kyungsoo and ask him to quickly bring his ipod, but since there's only ten minutes left until he’s supposed to board the plane, it would be impossible. Not to mention that Kyungsoo would most likely hang up on him after telling him to stop being a whiny child.  
  
Sighing, Sehun gets up and stands in line, passport and ticket in hand. The staff lets him pass with a smile and Sehun moves forward, following the other people on board. His eyes roam around, trying to find his seat. Storing his backpack in the storage place above, Sehun sits down and opens his phone to take a quick selfie to upload on instagram. Of course with his signature peace sign and the caption that reads _off to vn, see ya’ll in 2 weeks_. The moment it’s posted he turns off his phone with a frown. 58% battery left. How is ~~he~~ his phone going to survive the next five hours until he reaches his hotel? He can't use it to play games unless he wants to be all helpless without all the information and tickets and reservation confirmations saved there. Dang it, he should have printed all out instead of relying on technology alone.  
  
“Hey there, can I pass through here?”  
  
Sehun looks up to see a bright smile directed at him. “My seat is the one at the window next to you,” the boy says and wiggles his ticket in front of Sehun's face who’s starting to frown. That boy can't be much older than Sehun himself.  
  
“Uh, sure.” Sehun, albeit annoyed, gets up and lets the boy pass to get to his seat. A few minutes later all passengers are instructed to fasten their seat belts and then the mandatory guidelines for emergency situations are explained, this time even thrice. Once in Vietnamese, then English, then Korean. Sehun watches the stewardesses go through the routines with the same smile not faltering, no matter how embarrasing that choreography looks. Sehun doesn't think he would be able to do that without feeling stupid, so kudos to them.  
  
“Is it your first time going to Vietnam?” The boy next to him pipes up after the show is over. The plane is starting to move now and Sehun wishes he didn't forget his ipod. He’s never liked talking to strangers, least of all when they're so inquisitive and curious. Take the boy next to him as example. He’s already chattering away though Sehun hasn’t bothered to reply yet, saying something about how he’s been reading travel guides and books about Vietnam and doing research online before actually going. Does it look like Sehun cares?  
  
“Where are you heading to? Are you gonna stay in Hanoi or are you going to visit other places, too?” Sehun blinks. Does the boy actually expect an answer?  
  
“Oh, sorry,” the male next to him says and lets out a shy, quiet laugh. It sounds kind of… cute? But that’s not what is important. The only important thing here is that the boy has finally realized how desinterested Sehun is in whatever he’s saying, so he’s apologizing, at least that’s what Sehun thinks.  
  
“I forgot to introduce myself. Where are my manners,” the other chuckles. “Hi, I’m Kim Jongin, twenty-two years. And you are?”  
  
Sehun doesn’t quite understand why, maybe it’s those big eyes hiding behind those nerd glasses, you know, those square ones with thick, black frames, that make him respond. He can’t possibly say no to puppy eyes, can he? Sehun might look like an uncaring ice prince but he does have a soft spot for everything sweet and cute, and that included pups and puppy eyes. “Oh Sehun, twenty-one.”  
  
“I’m your hyung then,” Jongin exclaims in glee, the smile he gives is almost blinding. It’s too much for Sehun.  
  
“But please talk comfortably, okay?” Jongin adds and Sehun finds himself nodding without understanding why. Jongin looks satisfied.  
  
  
  
  
  


  
*

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The first hour of the flight, Sehun feels incredibly annoyed. Jongin keeps talking without being asked and Sehun only listens with half an ear, startling whenever there’s a question directed at him. He’s lamenting in his head why he’s being punished like that. Why doesn’t Jongin even realize that Sehun’s not wishing to know about the things Jongin has read and learned about the place he’s going to in advance. But well, in the end he recognizes that it’s his own fault for not bringing his ipod. There’s no way Jongin would chat him up when there are earbuds signalling he’s not listening, right?  
  
But as he thinks about that, he finds himself somewhat stupid, too. He doesn’t have any device to keep himself entertained for the rest of the flight, so shouldn’t he be happy that Jongin is talking to him and helping him pass time? He could be friendlier to the other; Jongin doesn’t seem like any of the toxic people surrounding him in school and college. Jongin is… child-like in some way, refreshingly so. He’s mature and careful, considering his extensive preparation of his trip, but the excitement he shows is not different from a curious child. It’s a bit contagious even.  
  
“You’ve planned from A to Z,” Sehun says when Jongin pauses for a moment to take a sip of water. “There’s no room for the unforeseen things, are there?” Like accidents Sehun thinks. Okay, he better not jinx it. So maybe not accidents, but like… incidents? What if Jongin finds out he likes a certain place a lot and wants to stay longer? Or if the weather’s not nice so he has to cancel one of the bulletpoints on his itinerary? Or what if he meets someone…?  
  
“That’s my plan,” Jongin shrugs. “But that doesn’t mean I have to stick to it. I probably won’t. After all, my plan didn’t foresee meeting a cute boy on the plane.”  
  
It takes a moment for the words to sink in. When they do, Sehun flushes and turns away, not quite able to believe that Jongin just hit on him. That was clearly flirting, right?  
  
“Sorry, did I scare you?“ Jongin asks, true concern shining through. “I guess I’m too honest and straightforward, that’s always been my flaw.”  
  
  
  
  
  


  
*

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The following silence feels more awkward than Jongin’s non-stop chattering before. Sehun feels awkward just sitting there and not replying to Jongin at all. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t intrigued. He’s not used to people being so open with their thoughts and intentions, so Jongin brings in a fresh wind, a cool, but not unwelcomed breeze.  
  
“Hey, Jongin,” he speaks up after a while. Jongin turns to look at him immediately and their eyes meet. “Don’t stay quiet. It’s weird.”  
  
He sees Jongin smiling after that. “What do you want me to talk about?”  
  
“Anything.”  
  
Jongin thinks for a moment. “Rather than listening to me talking, why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself, too? Communication goes both ways and I think you must be bored of hearing my voice already.”  
  
“I-” Sehun pauses before he makes a fool of himself, stuttering in front of a stranger who doesn’t feel much like a stranger to him anymore. He needs to think first before he talks. But what is there even to talk about? Sehun doesn’t think he has anything interesting to offer, unlike Jongin who seems so open-minded and full of knowledge. Sehun is just average - average in school, part-timing in a convenience store like every other average college student, and most of his time is spent doing coursework and projects for his classes. There’s not much he can say without boring the other to death, and he tries to explain that to Jongin who just shakes his head and smiles.  
  
“That doesn’t matter,” Jongin says. “I just want to hear you talk. You’re cute and you have a nice voice. I want to get to know you a bit better, too, and maybe, if you’re not creeped out, would you mind giving me your number?”  
  
  
  
  
  


  
*

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jongin is straightforward, pretty much so, and while Sehun isn’t used to that, he easily gets along with Jongin. He doesn’t give out his phone number, no, but after hours of conversation on the plane, boredom forgotten because _hey, Jongin is kind of cute, too_ , he ends up following Jongin through the immigration office and customs to where the luggage hall is. And when they’re leaving the airport, Sehun tugs at Jongin’s shirt, feeling sheepish when he asks if he could join Jongin or if Jongin would like to join him for the next few days, and possibly to the end of their vacation. Because somehow, they discovered they would be taking he same flight back.  
  
And so what has started as a supposed vacation to find himself is now an adventure and discovery tour with a companion. Sehun discovers a lot about the country, the people here, the culture, but most of all, he discovers quirks about Jongin that are all ridiculous lovely to him. For example Jongin’s love for animals or Jongin not being a morning person at all, despite seeming like an energetic person.  
  
It’s long summer nights spent on the streets of Hanoi, hours of treading water at the beaches close to Da Nang in the early mornings - including holding hands and more conversation - that Sehun realizes that he’s in love. He didn’t fall just now, but way longer, possibly the moment Jongin has spoken to him. Why else did he not stop the other or flip him the finger? Why else did he simply allow Jongin to intrude in his personal space, willingly responding to every question and inquiry? Sehun hadn’t pulled away either when Jongin kissed him for the first time. And just the memory of that first kiss shared with Jongin makes his heart flutter and he feels all sorts of giddy like some stupid high school girl in love. But how could he not when every second has felt so unreal, like a scene cut out of a drama?  
  
They were eating ice cream one night and Jongin pointed out that there was some ice cream stuck around his mouth. Sehun had tried to wipe it off, but Jongin just shook his head and laughed, saying _wait, let me do it_ , and in the next moment Sehun was frozen when a tongue licked away the remainder of his ice cream before soft, plump lips pressed onto his. When Jongin pulled back, he looked so nervous, so afraid of Sehun’s response, but all Sehun did was scold Jongin for the surprise kiss had shocked him into dropping his ice cone. Jongin made it up to him then by sharing the rest of his own cup of ice and more kisses to follow that night. And from there, things only progressed between them.  
  
Summer romance, Sehun thinks, feels refreshing, like the soft breeze in the afternoon, spent at the Marble Mountains, but it also tastes bittersweet like the kind of dessert they tried, somewhere in Hoi An. It scares Sehun, to think that he might be irreversibly in love with a boy he has met just two weeks ago, a boy who is going to return to Busan once his short vacation is over, and Sehun will be left with nothing but the memories of a summer spent in an exotic place with a human more radiating than the sun - for Jongin will forget about a boy like Sehun who has nothing to offer but lame jokes. He’s not even half as smart as Jongin, he feels, too naive like Jongin would say, too sheltered from the world. He doesn’t think he can make Jongin’s heart beat erratically, like Jongin does to him. He can only make the corners of Jongin’s lips lift up into a smile, but that is no difficult feat; a smile is Jongin’s default expression.  
  
  
  
  
  


  
*

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They don’t talk about it, but it is clear that their future is uncertain. A future together, that is. As much as Sehun wants to know what Jongin is thinking, if the other can imagine for them to last and not be just a summer fling, he can’t. They haven’t even labelled what they have yet, though it should be more than just acquaintances now, more than friends even. Under starry nights, they have shared kisses, the slow, sweet kind of kisses that lovers and soulmates would share, and yet none of them have said a word about what they are to each other.  
  
Even now, back in their home country, standing in Incheon airport, they don’t talk about it. They only stare at each other, silence between them as the seconds tick by while waiting for Jongin’s connecting flight to Busan. Sehun will take the subway home since no one is picking him up from the airport. He hasn’t even told his friends the exact date of his arrival, and his parents as well as his brother, are busy working. It’s fine like that, he thinks, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to sit here and enjoy his last moments with Jongin.  
  
Sehun starts fidgeting when the boarding time nears. There is so much he wants to say, so many questions he needs to get answered, but all he says is _thanks to you my trip to Vietnam had been unforgettable_.  
  
“I’m glad to hear that,” Jongin replies and he looks pensive. Sehun wants to ask, wants to inquire, but he doesn’t dare. After all, it might just have been a fling to Jongin, nothing serious. They won’t see each other again, most likely not. And Sehun isn’t sure if they both know, love and trust each other enough to somehow manage a long distance relationship. Busan is too many hours away from Seoul for dates and meet ups, and Sehun knows he is that kind of clingy, whiny boyfriend who needs his other half close to him.  
  
“Huh?” Sehun blinks when he feels a pair of lips pecking his, ultimately pulling him out of his stream of thoughts.  
  
“Don’t make such a sad face,” Jongin whispers. “It makes me want to stay and kiss your frown away.”  
  
Sehun’s cheeks heat up as he looks around, noticing people staring, and he slaps Jongin’s hand away when the other tries to cup his face and coo at him. “Jongin, don’t,” he warns.  
  
“Just joking,” Jongin says, but he doesn’t sound like joking at all. Jongin looks more serious than ever, an expression that Sehun hasn’t seen yet and doesn’t want to see again. It takes away all the softness of Jongin’s gaze and somehow, he looks a lot older like that.  
  
“You know things don’t need to end here, right?” Jongin asks. It’s not a question. Sehun knows.  
  
  
  
  
  


  
*

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Wait, are you telling me you found yourself a boyfriend on your trip to Vietnam? Is that why you were too busy to send pictures or call home or reply to my texts?” Junmyeon asks.  
  
“Yep.” Sehun replies, not bothering to stop in his tracks. Apparently, Junmyeon is not working today. Junmyeon could have picked him up from the airport, but Sehun just has chosen not to tell anyone about his exact time and date of arrival. It’s for the better. Junmyeon would have ruined his moment with Jongin, and who knew if Jongin had been that bold to kiss him and then invite him home when Sehun’s older brother was around.  
  
“And now you’re going again?” Junmyeon asks. Sehun doesn’t reply to that because it’s obvious that he’s packing. His suitcase is still unopened, he will deal with that in a week when he’s back. Now he is just throwing some fresh clothes into the biggest backpack he can find, though surely, Jongin could lend him clothes, too, but Sehun definitely needs this pair of skinny jeans that will hug his ass and thighs perfectly. He wants to be eye candy for Jongin and unfortunately, Jongin’s wardrobe is disappointingly plain. Sehun is already planning on going shopping with Jongin to improve his fashion.  
  
“Sehun, don’t ignore me,” Junmyeon says, using his authoritative voice, but that hasn’t worked on his younger brother for years. Sehun is now twenty-one and not a ten year old and easily to impress and intimidate kid.  
  
“Sorry, hyung,” he says and shoulders his backpack. “Tell mom and dad I’ll be home in a week.” And with that he leaves, running out of the house and laughing at Junmyeon who can’t quite keep up with Sehun’s long legs. He feels a bit guilty for being mean to his older brother, but the plane is not going to wait for him. Jongin though, Jongin would probably cancel his flight to take a later one because he’s promised to stay and take Sehun with him. Just for a week, the last free one before a new semester starts for them both, but whatever comes after that, Sehun is optimistic they can figure it out together.


End file.
